


Happy New Year... And Your Life Will Never Be The Same

by Stephie



Series: Loki's Redemption... And All That Comes With It [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012), Thor (2011)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Female-Reader-Centric, Loki can be a perceptive little shit, Lots of POV switching going on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-11
Updated: 2013-02-25
Packaged: 2017-11-28 23:13:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/679948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stephie/pseuds/Stephie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Avengers AU. This is where Loki's redemption begins... and you, dear Reader, have been chosen by Odin to help him redeem himself. Of course, you're totally unaware that you've been selected by the Valfather to take on the rather daunting task of helping the God of Mischief attain redemption, which is probably a good thing... or maybe not. But you, with plenty of help from your family and friends (while also managing to avoid attracting the attention of SHIELD and The Avengers), will  certainly be up to the challenge of redeeming Loki ... right?</p>
<p>I don't own the Marvel characters; I'm just having a bit of fun with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Loki's Departure From Asgard, Or How To Fall Through A Skylight Without Really Trying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, here is where the story of the redemption of Loki, Son of Odin, Son of Laufey, Dark Prince of Asgard and the silver-tongued God of Mischief, Lies, Chaos and anything else you can possibly think of begins...
> 
>  

Every good story has a beginning, and the story of how a certain God of Mischief named Loki was ultimately redeemed has its beginning in the land of Asgard, where he is about to learn his fate after his failed effort to seize Midgard one year ago...

\----------------

Loki's POV...

He'd been sitting in the cool, dimly-lit cell for some time, the days and nights of his imprisonment marked by fear and uncertainty. The memory of his brutal torture by the Chitauri, while Thanos and the Other watched his discomfort with unrestrained glee, caused him to lie awake at night, filled with fear that they might attempt to recapture him, and subject him to their not-so-tender mercies, especially after the Chitauri suffered heavy casualties during their short-lived incursion. He probably would have preferred their punishment to what he was undergoing on Asgard, but that preference was not an enthusiastic one. 

Each day settled into a regular routine -- he was given thirty-nine lashes administered by the fearsome Einerjahr guards, or some other equally rigorous and unpleasant task, like working in one of the mines, followed by a thorough interrogation by the chief guard, and five members of the Great Council, in another dimly-lit room with glass walls which was only slightly larger than the cell he was sitting in.

The questions the chief guard kept asking him so many times about his time in the Void, his interactions with Thanos, the Other, and the Chitauri made his head spin, and after what seemed to be endless hours of trial by rapid-fire interrogation from the chief guard and five members of the Great Council, he was actually relieved to be sent to the bathing chamber where he could be washed and shaved, his wounds cleansed and treated, and he'd be given fresh clothing, followed by a bowl of vegetable stew, a cup of cold water, and a thick slice of bread once he was put back into his cell. 

The only small consolation he had was that the muzzle which had been placed over his mouth when Thor brought him back to Asgard was gone, so he was able to answer the non-stop barrage of questions which were being hurled at him. The shimmering silver bands around his wrists kept his magic in check, and as he nervously rubbed his fingers against the hem of his simple green cotton tunic, he couldn't help wondering what Odin had in store for him. 

He'd managed to catch little snippets of gossip spread by the prison guards, and from what he was able to piece together, the time for him to learn his fate was drawing near. At this point, he wasn't sure whether death or banishment was in store for him, but Loki was aware of what he'd done to the inhabitants of Midgard, and even though a part of him rebelled at the thought of ruling Midgard when his true desire was to rule Asgard, he was too enthralled by the power exerted by Thanos, the Tesseract and his own blinded, wounded emotions to turn back. 

Loki managed to eat most of the soup and bread, and by the time his tray was taken away by the guard on duty, he was already asleep, the day's ordeal taking its toll on his mind and body. Next morning, the heavy wooden door of his cell opened with a loud creak, and two big, burly-looking guards entered. 

"Get up, you mischievous, traitorous whelp!" the guard barked as he grabbed Loki by the arm and pulled him to his feet. "Today's the day you go before the Valfather to be tried and sentenced, and you must be made presentable." Loki was all set to make some sort of snarky comment about them treating a Prince of Asgard so roughly, but the words faded from his mind as the guard, his broad, round face scarred from many battles, glared at him with cold, dark eyes. 

Loki blinked as he was led out of the cell, down a torch-lit corridor toward the spacious, brightly-lit bathing chamber where the servants tasked with bathing the prisoners awaited him. Once his clothing was removed, he was led to a stall where a female servant, who seemed quite young, carefully washed him from head to toe, taking great pains to avoid irritating any healing scars and bruises which remained. 

He said nothing to the servant, and, for all he knew, she was probably relieved that she didn't have to engage in conversation with him. The soapy, warm water felt good on his bruised skin, and as the dirt, dried flecks of blood and sweat were washed away from him, Loki felt somewhat better, although that gnawing fear inside him about what lay in store for him hadn't gone away. 

Once he'd been washed and dried off, he was wrapped in a towel and led to another room where his hair was neatly combed and brushed by another servant before he was dressed in white undergarments, followed by a black linen tunic and pants, and a pair of black leather boots. It wasn't the typical Asgardian raiment he was used to, with its touches of gleaming gold armored trim, emerald green velvet and rich black leather, but at this point, what he was wearing was the least of his concerns.

After his other personal matters were attended to, and his bonds checked to insure that he couldn't escape, the guards escorted him out of the prison, and they took the long walk through the city streets toward the Golden Palace. As they made their way toward the Palace, most people stopped to stare at the sight of the fallen Prince of Asgard. The only sounds heard were the faint rattling of Loki's chains and the footfalls of the guards. He didn't look at the people as he passed them by, because their faces would either be filled with simpering pity for his plight, or worse, rage for his attempt to seize control of a world which posed no real threat to Asgard. 

Loki and the guards climbed the steps of the Golden Palace, passed through the entrance and made their way down the long corridor which led to the Great Hall. He was certain that Odin would be there, but as for the others -- Frigga, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif and Thor -- Loki wasn't certain that they would be there as judgment was passed upon him, and if they weren't there, he could understand why. After all, he was once a mighty Prince of Asgard, but because of his bitterness and blind hatred of who and what he was, he had fallen, and his fall from grace was spectacular indeed. 

The gleaming, ornately carved golden doors of the Great Hall slowly opened, and Loki, accompanied by the guards, made their way toward the gilded throne where Odin was sitting. Loki glanced to his right to see Frigga sitting near Odin's throne, the picture of quiet grace and dignity. A twinge of painful regret crossed Loki's mind when he saw her, and he wondered what was going through her mind.

Even though Loki despised Odin for not telling him the truth about his Jötun heritage, he couldn't bring himself to despise Frigga, the one who loved him totally and unconditionally. He wanted to say something to her, but he couldn't bring himself to speak the words he longed to say because those words would have been far too painful for him to speak out loud.

A glance to the left brought Thor into view, standing beside the throne, his eyes focused on the brother whom he loved. Even though Loki considered Thor to be a bumbling buffoon who couldn't cast a proper spell if his life depended upon it, he had to reluctantly admit that Thor was always the one who stood up for him, and he wondered whether Thor would come to his defense after his scheme to capture and rule Midgard had failed. 

The Great Hall was filled with nobles from the various houses and councils of Asgard, their voices filling the air with murmurings and whispers as the guards stepped away from Loki, leaving him to stand before Odin. His head was bowed, and he was prepared to meet whatever fate Odin chose to hand down, and at this point, anything was better than being handed over to the Chitauri, which would have surely sealed his doom. 

Odin slowly rose from his throne, the great scepter Gungnir in his hand, and immediately, those within the Great Hall fell silent as everyone's attention was focused on the two men at the center of the hall. 

"Loki... son of Odin... son of Laufey... Prince of Asgard," Odin's voice filled the room, echoing off the walls and ceiling, "you have attempted to seize the realm of Midgard, a realm which has never posed a threat to us, and use it to satisfy your twisted desires." He paused for a moment to look at the man who had been -- and who always would be -- his son, and sighed. "Although we now know that it was an alien power that led you into subjugation, and who controlled your thoughts and actions, you could have made an effort to free yourself from him, but you did not. You still committed grievous harm to the inhabitants of Midgard, and you must pay the penalty for this serious transgression."

The silence which followed his words was deafening, and as he looked at Loki, Thor wanted to say something in his brother's defense, but he wondered whether Loki would even appreciate the gesture. He remained silent, eyes focused on the scene before him, waiting for Odin to continue.

"If I so chose, I could sentence you to death for having taken the lives of innocent people who did no harm to you... and justified it as an act of vengeance on behalf of those whose lives you took," Odin continued, "but your death would mean more bloodshed. Too much blood has already been shed, and I cannot do this to you." 

After a moment, he went on, "Before your fall from grace, you were once a kind and honorable man, Loki, despite your propensity for mischief, and it is possible that you could become that man once again. Therefore, I hereby sentence you to life in exile on Midgard for a period of no longer than four years, where you will be under the care of a Midgardian whom I have chosen for this task. You will be released from your sentence, and your full magic powers will be restored when you have proved to my satisfaction that you have reformed and redeemed your character."

Audible gasps of surprise and disbelief came from the audience, and they barely had time to process what Odin had said before he went on, "You shall be stripped of all but the bare minimum of your magic. The only magic you shall have is what you will need while you are living with the Chosen One." After he spoke, a brilliant pillar of shimmering green light surrounded Loki, causing him to drop to his knees and cry out in pain as the light flowed into his body. He could feel most of his magic fading away, and he wondered what he'd have left after it was all over. 

The pillar of light vanished, leaving Loki feeling weak and lightheaded, but he managed to remain upright, his head tilted back, eyes closed, gasping for breath, his hands resting on his knees.

"I cannot, nor would I dare, strip you of your immortality, because you are a God of the Nine Realms. That is your heritage and birthright." Odin said, his voice firm, "You shall retain your immortality, your shape shifting ability and your powers of healing. Your memories of your attempt to seize Midgard will not be taken from you. They will serve as a reminder of what you must atone for, and the lessons you must learn." 

Loki slowly opened his eyes, and lifted up his head to gaze at Odin. He hadn't been sentenced to death, and even though his magic had been greatly diminished, he still had some of it, which would make living on Midgard a little easier to deal with. His face was an impassive mask, carefully concealing any feelings he may have had over his sentence until Odin finished speaking. 

"As for where you will spend your exile, I have given the matter great thought," Odin said, turning from Loki to glance at Thor for a moment, "and although it would be easier to send you back to the city of New York, which you attempted to destroy, you deserve a fresh start, away from those who would do you harm if you were to return there. Therefore, you shall be sent to the Midgardian city of Chicago, where the Chosen One dwells. The Chosen One will be your guide and protector, with the ability to do what is necessary to safeguard your identity from those who could harm you."

More gasps, whispers and murmurs came from the crowd of nobles and Council members, but one look from Odin silenced all of them. "Your departure to Midgard will take place within the hour." he said, his voice leaving no doubt of his intention. "Guards... take him to the Observatory, where I shall join you shortly."

The guards grabbed Loki's arms and hoisted him up from the floor. As he was escorted out of the Great Hall, everyone thought that a flood of obscene comments would come pouring out of his mouth, but Loki remained silent, unwilling to make his situation any worse.

Odin looked at the crowd who sat before him, still in disbelief over what had transpired, then said, "I know there are many among you, especially those of you who are members of the Great Council, who thought that Loki would be sentenced to death for his crimes against Midgard and Asgard, but his death would not restore the lives of those innocent Midgardians whom my son killed while under the influence of an evil alien power which may have been too much for his shattered mind to fight against."

The crowd listened quietly as Odin continued, "This is a decision which was not made lightly, but I am convinced that redeeming Loki is the right thing to do. Despite his trangressions, Loki is still my son, and a Prince of the Royal Family of Asgard, and I will not shed his blood in an act of hollow vengeance which would serve no purpose." He then left the Great Hall, accompanied by Frigga and Thor, leaving the audience behind to ponder over what he had told them.

The walk to the newly reconstructed Observatory and Bifrost was long enough to allow Thor to do some serious thinking. Even though Loki had teased him about his mental alertness, Thor wasn't a total fool. His curiosity about the mysterious Midgardian 'Chosen One' teased at the corners of his mind, and he wondered who this person was and if they were capable of dealing with the God of Mischief and Lies.

"Father," Thor said, as they continued their walk on the sparkling bridge which led to the Observatory, a gleaming golden dome which housed the Bifrost beam, "who is this 'Chosen One' of whom you speak? You did not speak about this person before the Great Council, nor have you told me about your plan to redeem him."

"The Chosen One is someone whom I have been observing for some time, my son," Odin replied, "A person who has suffered much in life. One who is very aware of the value of possessing kindness and compassion. Your brother once possessed these same qualities, but they were cruelly stripped away when he fell under the influence of the Tesseract." He paused for a moment, then said, "I did not tell the Council about the Chosen One, because they do not think anyone can possibly assist Loki in redeeming himself. They believe him to be irredeemable. I do not share their view."

"You are aware, Father, that there are many in Asgard who would have preferred that Loki be put to death for his crimes," Thor said, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't upset Frigga, "but you chose to be merciful towards him."

"I believe that the goodness he once possessed can be restored to him, which is why he is going to be sent to a city where he will have the opportunity to live among the Midgardians, and understand them better," Odin replied, "Once he understands how Midgardians think and act, perhaps he will not think himself to be superior to them." 

"Do you trust this person to assist Loki in redeeming himself?" Thor wondered aloud, "I mean, Loki will be quite a handful to deal with..."

"I have the utmost confidence and trust in the person whom I have chosen." Odin said, giving Thor a surprisingly calm look. "As I stated, this person has been under my observation for quite a while, so I'm well aware of this person's strengths and weaknesses, and this Midgardian will be able to help Loki regain the kindness, trust, empathy, compassion and love which he once had."

"I am grateful that you spared his life, my husband," Frigga said, gently touching Odin's arm as they drew closer to the entrance of the Observatory. "If he were put to death, I do not know what I would do... "

"You need not worry, dear Frigga," Odin said, giving her a reassuring smile, "I know how much you love Loki, and the thought of killing him fills me with a sense of dread, which is why I have decided that he will be redeemed." 

"I, too, am grateful for the compassion which you have extended to Loki, Father. I hope he understands the opportunity he's being given," Thor said, as the three of them entered the golden dome. Heimdall, the Gatekeeper and Guardian of the newly rebuilt Bifrost, was waiting for them, and as they approached him, he bowed his head.

"My King... My Queen... My Prince..." he said quietly, "I am at your service. What is it that you require of me?"

"Prepare the Bifrost for transport to Midgard. Is Loki here?" Odin asked, which caused Thor to look at him in puzzlement for a moment.

"I am here. And, of course, there must be last words spoken before I am sent into exile." Loki replied, as he stood near the center of the room, between the two fearsome looking guards, looking unusually small and frail after what he'd been through during his year-long ordeal. As Odin, Frigga and Thor drew near to him, he said, "I thought I would be slain for my crimes against Asgard and Midgard, but you chose to spare my life and send me back to Midgard. Why?" 

"What good would have resulted from your death, Loki?" Odin asked, "Would your death have brought back those innocent mortals whom you had slain?"

"No," Loki said quietly, gazing down at the intricately patterned floor, his hands at his sides, "but the monster who slew them would be gone. The monster that parents tell their children about at night would haunt them and their dreams no more." 

"You are no monster, brother, and I refuse to believe your lies!" Thor replied, unwilling to let Loki wallow in self-pity. "We were raised together, and I never saw the monster you claimed to be!"

"Ah, but I _am_ a monster, my not-so-dear fool of a former brother," Loki hissed, his green eyes blazing with brilliant fire, "Maybe not in your sentiment-blinded eyes, but I know that I am a monster, and you, Odin, are going to send me back to Midgard to do... what?"

"Learn the value of kindness, love, trust, humility and compassion." Odin said, matter-of-factly. "These were noble qualities which you once possessed, and the one whom I have chosen will be able to assist you in learning how to regain these qualities." 

"Oh... so I am to be _redeemed_ , is that it? I thought such ridiculous sentimentality was beneath you, Valfather." A mocking tone was in Loki's voice, and he seemed to regain a bit of his characteristic snarkiness. "And who shall attempt to do the impossible... to redeem the unredeemable monster that I am?" 

"Someone who is fully capable of handling the task of dealing with you, Loki," Odin replied, "Someone who knows that you can be redeemed, even though you stubbornly refuse to believe that redemption is possible for one such as you. You are being given a 'second chance', as the Midgardians put it, and I hope you will take advantage of what is being offered to you... my son." 

Before Loki could utter another word of mockery or protest, Odin said, "Heimdall, open the Bifrost..." Once Heimdall grasped the hilt of the golden sword near the center of the observatory, and turned it in order to activate the Bifrost, the guards shoved Loki onto it, and he began his descent toward Midgard, surrounded by a whirlpool of brilliant colors. For a fleeting moment, Loki thought he was going to die as he was buffeted about by frigid, high winds and large snowflakes clung to his clothes as he continued his rapid plunge toward his destination, which he could barely see through the clouds.

He knew that Odin wasn't about to let him die before his redemption could begin, and he was also curious about the mysterious "Chosen One" who would help him redeem himself. So, with a soft sigh, he gave himself over to his fate in the hope that his destination would be a pleasant one.

He closed his eyes, allowing himself to be carried by the howling winds as the end of the Bifrost hovered over Loki's final destination, the skylight of an apartment building, where he made his descent, accompanied by rumbles of thunder, flashes of lightning, swirling tendrils of snow, and the sound of shattered glass, followed by a hard landing on an ornately patterned carpeted floor.


	2. What's A Nice Guy Like You Doing In The Middle Of A Blizzard On New Year's Eve?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is about to arrive at your apartment, dear Reader, in a rather unceremonious fashion. Now, it's up to you to care for -- and about -- a sulking and grumpy God of Mischief who doesn't know that you are Odin's Chosen One, but that's okay, because you don't know you're the Chosen One, either... 
> 
> Just having a little fun with the Marvel characters... no harm done.

Reader's POV...

 

You spent most of the day before New Year's Eve cleaning up your apartment, and so far, you'd done a good job of sweeping carpets, cleaning pantry shelves, washing clothes and putting things away in order to greet the new year with a lot less clutter. A surge of pain flared up in your right leg, from your knee down to the ankle, and that was your signal to take a break, so you eased yourself onto the sofa in the living room, grabbed the remote, and turned on the TV. 

"There's got to be something on," you mutter as various channels flicker past in rapid succession. Just as you were about to turn off the TV and finish cleaning up, a male voice said, "Looks like the Chicago area is about to get hit with a monster blizzard tonight, just in time to cancel many New Year's Eve parties. For more on this winter storm coming our way, here's our meteorologist, Caryn Smith." 

Your attention is immediately focused on the TV screen, as a pretty, blonde and extraordinarily perky meteorlogist said, "Thanks, Bill. Well, that big winter storm we've been watching since Saturday is definitely heading our way." As she spoke, a succession of radar images flashed on screen, and you sat up a little, listening carefully to the forecast. "The storm will be hitting Chicago around the evening rush, but traffic shouldn't be much of a problem as most businesses and government offices were either closed for New Year's Eve, or their employees were allowed to go home early." 

Still more radar images appeared on screen, as Caryn continued, "As this storm comes out of the west, it has merged with a low pressure area which unleashed powerful thunderstorms and dumped at least three feet of torrential rain on Oklahoma City on Sunday night. That powerful surge of Southern Gulf moisture will insure plenty of precipitation in the form of snow for our area, through the overnight hours. Current predictions are that Greater Chicagoland could see at least two to three feet of measurable snowfall, while suburban areas should see considerably higher amounts. Strong winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour are expected, with gusts up to 40 miles per hour, which could cause whiteout conditions in outlying areas, as well as blowing and drifting snow. So, here's the forecast for the Chicagoland area...."

You change the channel to another newscast, as the news anchor says, "... Many New Year's Eve parties have been canceled, including several parties which had been scheduled to take place in the various hotels downtown, but there will be some partying going on tonight as all hotel guests will be invited to the parties which were already scheduled at several hotels, including the Peninsula and the Hyatt. The traditional New Year's Eve fireworks show at Navy Pier has been canceled, and another tradition, the CTA's New Year's penny bus and train rides have been canceled. All CTA bus and train routes will end service at nine pm, while all Metra trains will end service between nine-thirty and ten-thirty pm."

While he spoke, a montage of images depicting past snowstorms appeared onscreen, "Midway and O'Hare Airports will shut down at eight pm, and all flights have been canceled until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest, which means a lot of people will be celebrating New Year's Eve by camping out at the airports tonight. The Department of Streets and Sanitation's fleet of snowplows will be deployed between eight and nine pm to make sure that the main streets are plowed and salted, and don't forget that winter parking bans are in effect for all major streets in the city..."

Another press of the remote, and another meterologist appears on screen, only this one is a pleasantly plump man whose round face, bright eyes and big smile reminded you of a cute and comforting teddy bear, but what he had to say was anything but cute and comforting. "At this point, " he said as he pointed to a huge multi-colored blob on the radar screen, "the storm has already affected Rockford, Belvedere and parts of far southwest Wisconsin with up to four inches of measurable snow and sustained winds of 30 miles per hour. These same locations have also reported thunder and lightning in the area. If the forecast models hold, Chicago should see an increase in wind speed and snowfall between five and six-thirty pm, and we could have our most intense snowfall, and possible thundersnow before the clock strikes midnight..."

You turned off the TV, slowly got up from the sofa, and peered out the window. The sky had darkened considerably, and even though it was a quarter to five, the first snowflakes were starting to fall. As you watched the snow gradually increase from a few flurries to a steadier snow, your thoughts were rudely interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. You went back to the sofa, picked up the phone from the end table, looked at the caller ID and frowned. It was your ex-boyfriend, Jonathan, calling to see if he could rekindle the embers of a romance which died a long time ago. You put the phone back on the charger, then you made your way to the kitchen to get something to eat. 

A warm bowl of chicken soup with vegetables and noodles, along with a tossed salad, and a glass of iced green tea hit the spot, and as you ate, you watched the news as the monster winter storm drew near. The phone rang again, and you hoped that Jonathan wasn't going to continue to call you all night. You looked at the caller ID, and a smile crossed your lips. You pressed the "talk" button and said, "Hello, Charmaine..."

"Hey, girl, what's up?" the voice at the other end of the line asked, "I heard you're about to get hit with a big winter storm."

"Not much," you reply, after taking another sip of warm soup from the huge mug. "Chicago's going to be shut down around nine o'clock, which means everyone will be celebrating New Year's Eve either at home, a hotel or the airport. So, how's the life of a supermodel in London going?"

"Oh, just marvelous... if it didn't rain so much." Charmaine said, groaning a little. "Two outdoor location shoots had to be moved indoors, and we're hoping for a sunny day by Wednesday so we can get the last of the shots done before we have to go back to the States by early next week."

As you listened to your sister regale you with stories about her life in London, you smiled, but that smile was mixed with a twinge of pain. Ever since the auto accident two years ago, you had done your best to live as normal a life as possible, but even that was becoming more difficult to manage. You held onto to your job as a secretary in a local business office for as long as you could, but when you were found unconscious on the floor behind your desk, passed out due to the pain in your right leg and shoulder in early December, you knew that your days of working for a living were over... at least, temporarily. 

Disability payments helped to keep a roof over your head, food on the table, medicine in the cabinet, and your body and soul together. But you knew there had to be something more to your life, but you weren't sure what it was, or how to figure it out. Perhaps if you managed to get healthy enough to become your sister's personal assistant, you might be able to figure out what your destiny would be. She had teased you about being her go-fer, and how much fun it would be, and the longer you thought about it, the more determined you were to give it a try. Of course, getting to that goal was much easier said than done. 

"Anyway..." Charmaine said, giggling a little, "Enough about me. How are things going with you?"

"I'm doing okay," you reply, "You know... same shit, different day."

"Jonathan still being a pain in the ass?"

"Yeah... He still thinks I want to get back together with him, when it should be pretty obvious that I don't want to be bothered with him." You pause for a moment, then say, "He called a while ago, but I didn't answer." 

"Considering that he decided to dump you for another woman while you were recuperating in the hospital after almost losing your life is rather tacky, if you ask me." Charmaine's voice was sharp and unforgiving. "Don't let that fucking bastard worm his way back into your life, Sis. He's not worthy of you."

"I know, and I have no intention of letting him back into my life," you said, rubbing a sore spot at the back of your neck. "I thought he was a decent guy, but I found out how wrong I was, especially when Susan told me that he'd had another girl on the side while he was seeing me." 

"That fucking unethical bastard! At least you found that out before he could get you knocked up, then he'd have an excuse to never let you go because you had his kid, and he could also play the role of 'baby daddy' whenever it suited him."

"That didn't happen, thank goodness, so that's not an issue," you said, sighing. "Perhaps next year will be the year when my life will turn around for the better. I'm ready for it, believe me."

"After all the shit you've been through over the last couple of years, you deserve something positive in your life, so, who knows... maybe this will be the year when it all happens for you."

"You're absolutely right, Sis. It's time to put the old year behind, and look forward to something better." you said, doing your best to believe the words which had come out of your mouth.

"That's what I want to hear, kiddo." Charmaine said, "Anyway, I'd better get going. I have to find something great to wear tonight."

"Off to ring in the New Year with a hot date?" you ask, giggling.

"Yeah. There's going to be a huge New Year's Eve party at the Hilton, and a lot of Important People are going to be there."

"And I suppose you're one of those Important People now?" A wry smile teases at the corner of your lips. 

"Of course. I've been called the 'next' top supermodel, so I have to make a good impression, you know."

"Well, you have fun, Sis... and Happy New Year!"

"And Happy New Year to you, too. Talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye!" You hang up the phone and sigh contentedly. It was always a pleasure to talk to your older sister, and even though she had earned some fame for herself, she always treated you and your other sisters as equals, and that meant a lot to you, especially in the weeks when you were recovering fron the accident. You finished your meal, washed the dishes, turned off the TV, and turned on the nightlight over the sink. You made your way to the living room, and took a moment to look out the window. The snowfall had picked up considerably, and the winds were shaking the trees, and rattling the windows. A thick layer of snow covered the street and sidewalk, and you were grateful that you managed to get the pantry, refrigerator and freezer well-stocked before the storm hit.

You glance up at the wall clock, and mutter, "It's six-fifteen already? Seems later than that. Oh, well, I have my evening planned, and I'm looking forward to spending a pleasant New Year's Eve at home..." 

\-----------------------------------

After you took a soothing shower, you took your pain medicine, and get dressed in a pair of floral print fleece pajamas, and a pair of black slippers. You leave your bedroom, stopping in the kitchen to fix yourself a hot cup of peppermint tea. Once you're in the living room, you settle yourself on the sofa with a paperback copy of The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, and your cup of tea on the table next to you. The soothing music from the radio, combined with the warmth of the tea, relaxes you, and as you struggle to stay awake, you're dimly aware of a rumble of thunder in the distance. 

You're sleeping on the couch when a loud clap of thunder jolts you awake, followed by an almost blinding flash of lightning which illuminates the living and dining rooms with an eerie, greenish glow which makes you feel uneasy. You get up slowly from the sofa, and hesitantly peer out the window. The snow is falling heavily, and the winds are whipping the snow up into drifts on the sidewalk. You can barely see the houses across the street as a curtain of white surrounds everything. Another clap of thunder sounds, and this one is so loud and heavy that it literally shakes the building. You turn toward the front door, as another, even heavier clap of thunder sounds, and this is accompanied by what sounds like broken glass.

Although your knee is still a bit sore, you manage to walk slowly toward the kitchen to see if any windows have been broken. A quick check of the kitchen and pantry windows assures you that they're intact. Your next stop is the bedroom, and you saw no shattered glass on the floor. You then go to the alcove which you transformed into your craft room, to see if the window was broken. but again, nothing. You check the bathroom, dining room and the living room, and you're relieved to see no broken windows.

You lean against the door to your apartment, and you're shocked to discover that it's icy cold. "How could this have happened?" you wonder aloud, as you carefully unlock the door and peer into the hallway. A icy gust of wind, along with a few snowflakes, whistles past you, and you look up at the ceiling to see the skylight, or more accurately, what's left of it. The panes of glass had been shattered, and you wondered if that last clap of thunder had shattered it. You took a step back into the living room, only to feel something icy cold grip your right ankle. You cry out in shock as another flash of lightning streaks across the sky, illuminating the hallway with brilliant white light. 

A quick downward glance at your ankle reveals a white, claw-like hand clutching it, as another claw-like hand emerged from the writhing, shadowy mass on the floor, frantically grasping at the air. That was followed by a man's face, with sharp cheekbones and green eyes which seemed to have an otherworldly light of their own. His mouth opened, and a raw, ragged voice cried out, "HELP ME! HELP ME!"

Against your better judgment, you grab his hand, and say, "Let go of my ankle so I can help you get up."

You brace yourself against the door frame as the strange man releases your ankle from his grasp, and reaches for your other hand. Once his hands are holding yours, he struggles to lift himself up from the floor, and as he does, you're surprised to see that he's just a little taller than you, and surprisingly heavy. Once he's on his feet, you put your arm around his waist and gently lead him to the sofa, where he eases himself down carefully. Your mind is filled with questions, and after you lock the door, you turn toward the shivering stranger who was sitting on your sofa, dressed in black.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" you ask, feeling slightly hesitant and awkward about dealing with this strange man who, quite literally, fell from the sky. 

"Yes, please," he replied, his voice still raw. You went to the kitchen and fixed a pot of peppermint tea, which you poured into two large mugs. You hand him the mug, and he drinks it slowly, savoring every drop. As you sit in the chair across from the sofa, you're able to get a better look at him. You notice a few small scratches on his forehead, and a small cut on his right cheek. His dark hair was unruly, and you couldn't help wondering if he had sustained any other injuries during his fall. After he finished drinking the tea, he put the mug down on the coffee table, and looked at you with a mixture of curiosity and wonder. 

"You must have a lot of questions for me, and I have some for you," he said, while you took a sip of tea. "But before we begin, I want to know your name and where you are from."

You tell him your name, adding that you're from Chicago. He repeats it slowly, emphasizing each syllable. "You possess a lovely name, my dear." His voice had mellowed into a smooth, sensual purr, and you managed to stifle a girlish giggle before it escaped from your lips. 

"Do I make you blush?" he asked, giving you a curious look.

"No, but you do make me a little nervous," you reply honestly. "Since you wanted to know my name and where I'm from, I'd like to know your name and where you're from." 

"I am Loki. I was a prince, one of the sons of the mighty King Odin, and I once lived in a kingdom called Asgard..."

You look at him in stunned surprise, and the only words you can say are, "Wait a minute... What?"


	3. Getting To Know All About You And Other Incredibly Awkward Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki has just told you, dear Reader, who he is and where he came from... and you're not sure how to react. Is he insane, or is he the real deal? In any case, you're going to do your best to make him feel welcome, which won't be easy when your mind is spinning, your heart is racing, and you're feeling like an awkward, nervous teenager...
> 
> Again, I don't own the Marvel characters. I'm simply taking them out for a spin in my imagination machine.

Reader's POV... 

"You don't believe me? You don't believe that I'm from Asgard?" Loki asked, confused by your look of surprised disbelief.

"Well..." you reply, "that's not something you hear every day, you know."

"It is the truth, despite what you might choose to believe otherwise." Loki's arms were folded across his chest, and after he spoke, the only sounds to be heard were the whistling winds and the music on the radio. This wasn't what you expected to happen on New Year's Eve, and you couldn't help but wonder what other plans the night -- and Loki -- would have in store for you.

The silence gave you the opportunity to attempt to wrap your mind around what had just happened, and you were still having problems believing that this was actually happening to you. "I must be dreaming," you said, as you got up from the chair. "You can't be real."

"I assure you that I'm quite real, my dear." he replied, as you sat down on the sofa next to him. "Do you think I'm merely a figment of your imagination?" 

"I'm not exactly sure, but it'll be interesting to find out if you are real," you said, as your fingers gently touched his right cheek. The skin underneath your fingers is surprisingly soft, smooth and slightly cool. "You've got a few scratches and cuts on your face from falling through the skylight. So tell me... how did you wind up falling through the skylight?"

"That is a long story I don't wish to tell you." Loki's tone of voice made it clear that this was a subject that he was in no mood to discuss, and as you touched his shoulders, he grew more annoyed by the minute. "What are you doing? Still trying to discover whether I'm real or not?"

"No, I'm checking to see if you have any other cuts," you said, ignoring his grumpy tone. "That was a very hard landing you made, and you might have a few bumps and bruises which will leave you feeling very sore."

"Will you please stop that? I told you that I'm fine..." he began, just as your fingers touched his right collarbone, causing him to wince in pain. 

"No, you're anything but 'fine', Loki." you said, giving him as calm a look as you could. "Your clothes are soaking wet, you fell through a skylight, and made a hard landing at my front door. You could use a warm bath; it might help you feel better."

"Are you telling me that I stink, dear lady?" Loki glares at you, feeling highly insulted by your comment. "I was bathed before I left Asgard."

"That's not the point here." You're not about to back down from this, and you take a new tactic to get your point across. "If you're from Asgard, then you're immortal, right?"

"I am, but this has nothing to do with me getting into a bathtub." Loki's voice took on the tone of a petulant five year old as he remained seated on your sofa. "I'm able to heal myself."

"Actually, it has a lot to do with it." you said, giving him a small smile. "Wouldn't you heal faster if you took a warm bath to soothe those aches and pains?"

Loki was silent for a few moments, probably taking what you said into condideration, then he said, "Perhaps you may be right. I am feeling a little sore, actually."

"You'll also feel better after you get out of those wet clothes, too." you said, as you got up from the sofa. "I'll go fill up the tub, and you can enjoy a relaxing soak..." You head off to the bathroom to prepare his bath, then find something for him to wear, as well as a place for him to sleep.

As you busied yourself in the bathroom, filling the tub with warm water and finding a towel and washcloth, your thoughts turned to the man in the living room. Although your knowledge of Norse mythology wasn't too in-depth, you knew enough to figure out that Loki was the God of Mischief, but what puzzled you most was his appearance at your door. You racked your brain in an effort to figure out how he was able to find you, but nothing came to mind. 

"I don't remember dreaming about him..." you mutter aloud, while searching the storage rack above the toilet for a bottle of scented bath gel. "If I did dream about him, though, he's definitely someone I'd remember..."

"Thank you for the compliment, my dear Midgardian..." a voice replies from beside you. 

You turn toward the bathroom door, and are startled to see Loki leaning casually against the door frame, a smile on his lips. "Loki!" you cry out, almost dropping the bottle of bath gel on the floor. "You scared me!" 

"My apologies." he said, entering the bathroom. "I wondered what happened to you." 

"I'm almost finished getting your bath ready." While you're speaking, you pour the liquid into the tub, and the rich aroma of lavender fills the air. You turn off the faucet, and reach for the washcloth hanging on the rack. As Loki approaches you, you hand him the washcloth, then say, "Your bath is ready, so I'll let you get undressed."

"You're leaving?" Loki seemed genuinely puzzled by your actions, especially when you drew back from him. "I thought you'd stay here with me for a while."

"Uhm... you need some dry clothes, and a place to sleep," you tell him, "and I'd be a very poor host if I didn't make you feel welcome." Being this close to such an attractive man made you feel awkward and nervous, and you wanted to get away from him long enough to pull your mind together. "Once I finish getting things ready, I'd be more than glad to keep you company. I'll even wash your back, if you'd like."

"That would be nice. Thank you."

"Okay... I'll see you in a few." You manage to leave the bathroom, closing the door behind you. By the time you made it to your bedroom, your mind is in a whirl, and your heart racing. You hadn't felt so nervous, giddy and goofy around a man in quite a while, and Loki was an extremely attractive man, which was why you needed to get yourself together so you could handle a situation that you weren't expecting to get into. 

"Slow down, girl. Slow down." you told yourself, as you turned on the lamp on the bedside table, and sat down on the side of the bed. "Don't start acting like a girl who's got a crush." Although you hadn't seriously entertained the idea of getting into a relationship after you'd gotten burned by your ex, you wondered if you'd be able to live under the same roof with a man who claimed to be the God of Mischief. Loki seemed to be fairly rational, if not charming, but that shrill voice in the back of your mind was conjuring up all sorts of horrific scenarios and suspicions in order to talk you out of helping him to feel welcome.

"No. No. No!" you mutter, holding your head in your hands in order to silence that shrill, fearful voice. "I know I'm taking a big risk by letting this guy stay with me, but it... it just feels right. I don't know why, but it does."

The moment you said it out loud, the shrill, fearful voice ceased its' negative babblings, and you took a deep breath, and felt yourself relax a little. This certainly wasn't the way you wanted to spend New Year's Eve, but Fate decided to intervene, and put you into a situation you never imagined yourself to be in. 

You glanced at the clock on your bedside table, surprised to see that it was twelve-thirty am. "Wow!" you said softly, after getting up from the bed, "This isn't getting things done, is it?" After you got up, you went to the closet to see if there was something you had that Loki could wear. You found a large cardboard box near the back of the closet, and you carefully dragged it toward the bed.

Once you were seated at the foot of the bed, you opened the box, and examined its contents. There were three pairs of fleece sweatpants, two sweatshirts, a couple of cotton pullover shirts, and two pairs of jeans which were too long for you to wear comfortably. 

"Hmmm... there's got to be something else he can wear that won't be too little for him." Your brow is furrowed in thought as you examine the articles of clothing carefully to make sure nothing is ripped or torn, and once you were satisfied with the condition of the clothes, you went through both dressers and your closet to find him a couple pairs of socks, two pairs of athletic shoes, and a pair of slippers. So far, your scavenger hunt had yielded some impressive results, and you were sure that you'd be able to find a few more things which had been tucked away in the other closets later in the day. 

Once you found something suitable for him to wear, you picked up a pair of black sweatpants, a light blue sweatshirt, and a pair of slightly distressed looking navy blue slippers, you headed toward the bathroom, feeling a little hesitant as you knocked on the door. 

"Hello?" you said, your hand on the doorknob, "May I come in?"

"Please do," Loki said, as you slowly opened the door. "I've been waiting for you."

His voice sounded so incredibly seductive, and as you stepped into the bathroom, you couldn't help wondering what was going to happen next...


	4. How To Care For A Demi-God Who's Not Used To Living On Midgard... Yet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you're about to spend New Year's morning with Loki, the God of Mischief, living under your roof, you're not exactly sure what to do. There's a part of you that wants to send him away, but there's another part of you that thinks sending Loki away may not be a good idea, because you sense that there's something different about Loki, and asking a few questions may be the key to helping you figure him out... that is, if you can keep yourself from becoming completely distracted by how extremely attractive he is.
> 
>  
> 
> I don't own the Marvel characters; I'm simply letting them participate in a great adventure.

Loki's POV...

 

The Midgardian woman entered the bathroom, carrying a small bundle in her hands. "I found a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt for you," she said, placing the bundle on top of what appeared to be a small container near the sink. "There's also a pair of slippers for you, as well. I just hope everything fits you, because you're quite... tall."

"Thank you very much," He shifted in the tub, allowing the warm, floral scented water to relax and soothe him. Reluctantly, he had to admit that the Midgardian was right about taking a warm bath, and he was grateful that she suggested that he take one. He held up the washcloth and said, "You did promise to wash my back, you know..."

"Of course..." she said, taking the washcloth from him, and carefully kneeling next to the tub, "How could I possibly forget?" Her hand grasped the bottle of bath gel which was next to the tub, and as she poured the gel onto the cloth, she asked, "So... uhm... do you feel better now?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." he replied, sitting up a little so she could wash his back. She carefully washed him, taking pains not to irritate his bruises. As she continued to wash him, it was becoming obvious to Loki that she was intrigued with him, but she seemed to have difficulty getting her mouth to work properly. The silence which hung over the bathroom felt more like lead, and he shifted a little as her hand moved a little lower down his back. Finally, he could bear the silence no longer.

"My dear, I'm not made of glass." he said, as the water splashed on his skin, "You can give me a good scrubbing... and would you mind washing my hair?"

"I don't want to hurt you," she said, "After all, you did make a hard landing in the hallway, and you have a few bruises, but they appear to be healing."

"I told you that I heal quickly, and that you need not be afraid of me." He turned toward the woman, and she tried not to giggle as she came under his green-eyed gaze. "Are you blushing?"

"No, I'm not blushing." she said, rinsing the soap off of him with the cloth. "It's just that I - I don't usually have guests come over. So, it feels a bit strange."

Loki arched his eyebrows once he heard her admit this, and asked, "Do you ever entertain guests at all?"

"Yes, I do, but they don't normally stay overnight," she replied, wringing out the cloth before giving it back to him. "I have a feeling that you're going to be more than an 'overnight' guest." She slowly got up from the floor, using the grab bar and the edge of the tub to steady herself. Once she was on her feet, she took a couple of steps toward the shelves above the toilet. A careful examination of the bottles on the shelves yielded a bottle of shampoo, and a bottle of conditioner, which she took back to the tub. Once she'd gotten settled next to the tub, she took the washcloth, dipped it in the water and rubbed it on his head.

"This is certainly unusual, " he said, as she opened the bottle of shampoo, poured some into her hand and massaged the shampoo into his hair.

"It makes it easier to wash your hair while you're bathing." she replied. "I don't always take a tub bath. I prefer a shower. It's quicker."

"Interesting..." Loki closed his eyes as the Midgardian washed his hair, feeling very content. "You said that you think I'll be more than an overnight guest. Are you thinking of throwing me out after tonight?"

"No, why would I?" Her reaction to his question wasn't what he expected, and she went on, "You have nowhere to go, we've been hit by a blizzard and the streets and sidewalks are a mess, so your best bet is to stay here. I'm sorry I don't have everything you need, but..." She didn't finish her sentence, but Loki seemed to understand what she was saying.

"Would it upset you if I were to live with you for a while?"

"Not really," she admitted, as she reached for the grab bar above the bathtub and slowly pulled herself up from the floor to put the bottle of shampoo away. "It would be nice to have some company. My family worries about me because I live here by myself."

"Why are they worried about you living alone? You seem to be doing well." he asked, while he finished washing himself, including rinsing away the shampoo with his washcloth. 

"I was in an accident sometime ago, and they get worried if something were to happen to me, and there's no one around to help me." Her tone of voice indicated that this wasn't something she wanted to discuss with him; at least, not now. She returned to the tub and helped him rinse the shampoo out of his hair. "I have a very overprotective family."

"But they love you, don't they?" he asked, while she opened the bottle of conditioner, and applied it to his hair in the same way she applied the shampoo. 

"Yes, they love me," she replied, after she finished applying the conditioner to his hair, "but sometimes, I think they overdo it a bit."

"You're lucky to have a family like that..." Loki said, as he rinsed himself one more time, while she got up from the tub and put the conditioner back of the shelf. Then, she opened the medicine cabinet above the sink, and poked through it in search of a fresh toothbrush for him to use. "My family can be difficult to deal with, sometimes."

"Were they overprotective of you, too, Loki?"

"Not exactly," Loki carefully shifted himself so he could get out of the tub, but before he could move, the woman quickly grabbed the towel from the rack and hung it on the grab bar so he could reach it. He noticed this, and asked, "Whatever is the matter with you?"

"You're about to get out of the tub, and you should have some privacy while you're getting dressed," she said, the words tumbling out of her mouth, while she did her best not to look too long at his well-defined, toned and lean body. "Besides, I have to prepare a place for you to sleep. Do you mind sleeping on the couch tonight? It'll have to do until I can get a room fixed up for you."

"The couch sounds wonderful," he said, watching her back away toward the door, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She managed to grasp the doorknob, and step into the hallway. "There's a toothbrush on the sink, along with a tube of toothpaste. You do brush your teeth on Asgard, right?"

"Yes, I do, and I thank you very much."

"Okay..." she closed the door, and Loki slowly got out of the tub. He turned back to the tub, and wondered how the tub was drained. Surely, this Midgardian knew how to drain the tub, because he wasn't sure what to do. He wrapped the thick, fluffy towel around his waist, opened the door, and peered down the hallway.

"Dear lady," he called out, "I've finished with my bath, so are you going to empty the tub?" He realized that this was a rather silly question to ask, but he had no real experience with Midgardian plumbing, and he wasn't about to do anything until he was more familiar with how things worked. He was relieved to see her coming down the hall, and he noticed that she didn't appear to be as nervous as she had been earlier.

"Sure..." she said, and Loki watched as she carefully flipped up the lever on the bathtub and the water gurgled softly as it flowed down the drain. "I'm almost finished fixing the couch for you. Hope you won't be too uncomfortable."

"Whatever bed you provide will be sufficient for my needs, dear lady." He watched her exit the bathroom, then he closed the door behind her. He took his time drying himself off and getting dressed, wondering where she was able to find such comfortable clothes which fit him rather well. The only thing he didn't have was any undergarments, but he'd been accustomed to not wearing undergarments while he was in prison, so it didn't bother him too much. Once he was dressed, he brushed his teeth, and combed his hair with a comb he saw resting on the sink, smoothing the raven hair back so he looked more like the man he used to be.

He hung up the towel and washcloth on the towel rack, put on the slippers she gave him, and left the bathroom. Loki entered the living room just as the Midgardian had finished fluffing up a pillow and placing it on the couch. "You've made a rather comfortable bed for me." he said, as she turned toward him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." she said, smiling at her handiwork. She'd placed a sheet on top of the couch cushions, followed by a top sheet, a blanket, and a fleece throw. "You should be comfortable. Is there anything else I can get for you before you go to bed?"

"No, thank you." Loki eased himself onto the couch, and stretched his long, lanky form upon it, looking quite comfortable. "Good night, my lady."

"Goodnight, Loki." She turned off the lights in the living room, stopping in the bathroom long enough to do a little tidying up and turn on the nightlight above the medicne cabinet. Once she finished with the bathroom, she headed off to her bedroom, and sank down upon the bed. She'd been so busy dealing with Loki that she wasn't even aware that a new year had begun. It was a relief to change into her nightclothes and snuggle under the covers. Later in the day, there'd be plenty for her to do, but now... she was ready to enjoy a good night sleep.

The apartment was quiet, as Loki and the Midgardian both drifted off to sleep... and for the first time in a while, Loki slept a deep and dreamless sleep, and he felt at peace.


	5. Loki's Brand New Life On Midgard Or Why Your Toaster Won't Release His Breakfast...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's New Year's morning, and it's also the start of your first full day of your new life with the God of Mischief living under the same roof. As Chicago digs out from the New Year's Eve blizzard, your task will be keeping Loki happy, occupied and well-fed until the streets and sidewalks are clear enough to travel... which should be an easy one for you to accomplish... right?

Reader's POV... 

 

After last night's interesting events, you were grateful to awaken in your own bed, still wondering if it was just a vividly bizarre dream. You rose out of bed, yawning and stretching your limbs as you walked toward the bedroom window. You pulled back the curtain and peered outside, amazed by the wintry landscape. Tree limbs were coated with snow, sidewalks were packed with snow, and from your vantage point, cars were buried under snowdrifts, and the street was impassable. 

"Wow..." You spoke in a hushed tone, amazed by the vision of white. Despite the sunshine and blue skies, your neighborhood looked more like a winter village, but that would be short-lived as the task of digging out begins. 

After a few moments, you turned away from the window and got dressed. Once you were dressed, and made a quick trip to the bathroom, you went to the living room to check on your guest. As you approached the couch, you could see someone moving underneath the covers, snuggling underneath them. A shock of inky black hair was spread out on the pillow, and you thought you heard a sigh of contentment. You didn't want to disturb the man sleeping on your couch, and you were about to leave when his sleep-tinged voice made you pause.

"Good morning, dear lady..." Loki mumbled as he slowly sat up, and rubbed the back of his neck. 

"Good morning, Loki." You give him a pleasant smile as he swung his legs onto the floor. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I slept quite well, thank you." His curiosity was drawn to the thick paperback book on the coffee table. He picked it up and looked at the front cover. "'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Volume One'. This is an interesting book. What is it about?"

"It's about a consulting detective in Victorian Era London who solves crimes with the help of his good friend, Dr. Watson." you reply, with a smile. "Both of them get into some interesting situations."

He hefted the book in his hand while you spoke, and a faint smile crossed his lips. "May I read this?" he asked, while casually thumbing through the pages. 

"Sure. I'm almost finished with it." You turn toward a small desk which is between the living room and what used to be the dining room. When you get there, you open the middle drawer and pull out several calendars. As you thumb through them, Loki is sitting up on the sofa, and watching you curiously. 

"What are you doing?" This will become one of his most Frequently Asked Questions as time goes on. 

"I'm about to put the calendars up." you tell him, while you choose which ones will go on your desk, and on the walls of the kitchen, your bedroom and the bathroom. "It's a new year, and I have the feeling that I'll need to keep track of things." 

"Oh? Why would you need to do that?" Loki got up from the sofa, and stretched his arms, feeling more like himself. 

"Because... things have a tendancy to move very quickly," you said, while putting the calendar on the desk. As you went to the bathroom, Loki followed you, watching your every move. You couldn't help wondering why he was observing you so intensely. "So, why are you watching me?" 

"You're a curious creature, Midgardian," he replied, leaning casually against the kitchen wall while you hung up another calendar. "You find it necessary to put something on the walls of your domicile which constantly reminds you of the passage of time." 

"That's probably why we do it." you replied, after you hung up the calendar on your bedroom wall. "Sometimes, we need to be reminded that time is a fleeting thing, and we should use that time wisely."

"How philosophical you are, for a Midgardian." Loki smirked, "I am a god, and such a thing as time means little to me."

"Of course. You're immortal, and time doesn't mean much when a century is an eye blink to you. We, on the other hand, are quite fragile..." While you're speaking, you open the refrigerator door and peer inside, searching for a bottle of milk. Once you find it, you take it out of the refrigerator, and put it on the table. You then walk to the pantry, and take inventory of what's within it.

"Yes, you are... but also quite fascinating." Loki looks at the jug of milk, then asks, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to have some cereal," you reply. "Would you like some?"

Loki considers what you've said, then asks, "What kind of cereal do you have?"

"Let's see..." A rustling of boxes was heard, followed by your commentary, "I've got Oatmeal Squares, Cheerios, Lucky Charms and raisin bran."

Loki pondered the choices you offered for a few moments, then said, "I think I'll have the Cheerios."

"Okay..." You emerge from the pantry with a box of Cheerios and a box of Oatmeal Squares, placing them on the table. Then, you went to the cupboard and took out two ceramic bowls. After putting them on the table, you turn to Loki and ask, "Would you like some toast?"

"Yes, I'd like that. Thank you." He sat at the table, still watching you as you took two spoons out of the dish rack, and put them on the table. You took a loaf of bread out of the breadbox on the counter and put the slices in an odd-looking appliance which was next to the breadbox. Loki looked around the room, and noticed several strange looking machines on the counter. 

"I'll be back in a minute," you said, heading down the hall toward the bathroom. Loki got up from the table and took several hesitant steps toward the counter. As he looked at each of the odd-looking machines which were sitting there, he wondered what purpose they served. However, it was the small silver machine near the breadbox which got his attention. 

It was made of gleaming, reflective metal, with four openings at the top, a lever in the front, and two small knobs on each side. As Loki stood in front of it, he wondered what was happening. He peered inside, but saw nothing of interest, then he looked at the lever, which hadn't moved since you put the slices of bread inside it. Loki glared at the machine for a moment or so, tapping his foot impatiently. 

Finally, he could bear the waiting no longer, giving the small machine his most intimidating glare. "Infernal machine, I order you to give me my bread!" he said, a note of impatience in his voice. When the machine didn't respond to his order, he yelled, "YOU WILL GIVE ME MY BREAKFAST NOW!"

You had already emerged from the bathroom, and when you entered the kitchen, the sight of Loki screaming at your toaster was an amusing sight, but you felt it necessary to intervene before things got out of hand. 

"Loki, what are you doing?" you ask, "Why are you screaming at my toaster?"

"My lady, this machine will not release my breakfast when I asked it to!" he said, still glaring at it. "I expect my food to be ready as soon as possible. On Asgard, I never had to wait for my meals."

"Just give it another second," you told him, while you took a small plate and two glasses from the dish rack. After you had spoken, the machine chimed softly, and four pieces of toasted bread popped up from the openings. 

"Are you a sorceress, Midgardian?" Loki asked, watching you gracefully pluck the slices of bread out of the machine and put them on the plate. 

"Nope... I'm not a sorceress, Loki." you said, putting the plate of toast on the table. 

"Then how did you know when that machine would release my breakfast?"

"I've had that toaster for a while, and it usually takes around five to six minutes for it to make good toast." You open the refrigerator door and take out a small covered dish along with a bottle of purple liquid and put both of them on the table. 

Before Loki sits down at the table, he takes one more look at the small metal machine. "That is a toaster?" he asks, still puzzled by the machine.

"Yes, it is," you reply, taking your place at the table, "Just one of many appliances which makes life easier." 

"You have so many of these strange contraptions," Loki noted as you handed him a bowl and spoon. He looked at the bowl, which was a blindingly bright neon pink, but said nothing about it.

"Yes, I do." You opened the box of cereal and poured it into the bowl. "They're quite useful, especially when I cook for myself."

"And what is that huge white box with the window inside it?"

You glance at the shelf for a moment, then say, "That's the microwave oven. I also have a convection oven, a pressure cooker, and a can opener, among other things."

"This is all quite strange and puzzling, Midgardian..." Loki muttered, as he opened the bright yellow box, and poured the little oat circles into the bowl. "How am I ever going to survive living here in this peculiar world among all these machines?" 

"First thing you need to do is relax. Living here isn't all bad, and I'll teach you how to use them.." You smile, and hand Loki the sugar bowl. Once he put a couple of spoonsful of sugar on his cereal, you carefully poured the milk into his bowl. If there was an acidic comment on his mind, it didn't come out of his mouth, for which you were grateful. 

"Thank you for the offer, but it is difficult for me to relax with all these machines around," Loki said, helping himself to a piece of toast. "How do you manage to live this way and not let these machines bother you?" 

"Well, they're not a bother. They're quite helpful, particularly when it comes to mundane tasks." While you're speaking, you opened the bottle and poured the purple liquid into your glass, which made Loki curious. 

"What is that liquid you poured into your glass? Is that wine?" 

"No, it's grape juice," you reply, "Would you like some?" 

"Yes, please." Loki held up his glass, and watched you pour the juice into his glass. Once it was full, he took a sip from the glass and nodded. "This is delightful!" 

"I'm glad you like it, Loki. Don't forget to eat your cereal." You had already started eating, and he followed suit. The only sounds which filled the kitchen were the sounds of metal spoons scraping against ceramic bowls, glasses being placed on the table and butter being spread across crispy slices of toast. 

By the time breakfast ended, Loki had eaten two bowls of Cheerios, three slices of toast and drank two glasses of grape juice. He got up from the table, and seemed to be very content. 

"Breakfast was marvelous, despite your toaster's behavior," he said, while watching you gather up the dishes and place them in the dishpan. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome." As you fill the dishpan with warm water and dish washing liquid, Loki leans against the cabinet and watches you wash the dishes, rinsing them carefully and putting them in the dish rack. 

"Your kitchen is so cheerful," he said, as he looked around the kitchen. "Very warm and pleasant. Do you like to cook?" 

"Yes, I enjoy cooking, but cooking for one can be rather boring," After you finish cleaning up the kitchen, you and Loki head for the living room to fold up the bedclothes and put them in the closet until he's ready for bed.

"Perhaps my presence will be of some benefit, then." 

"Why do you say that?" You give him a puzzled look. 

"Because you will be able to cook for two," Loki said, slowly choosing his words, "and at least you will not be alone." A haunted look appeared on his face for a brief moment, and you wondered if there was much more to Loki than you first thought. 

After he finished speaking, you pondered what he said, and the longer you thought about it, the more sense it made. "Okay, you've got a deal." 

"Thank you." He bowed his head slightly, then he turned toward the hallway, "I'll be back." 

"You're welcome." Once you got started cleaning up the living room, Loki took the opportunity to go to the bathroom. You paused in your work long enough to watch him strut down the hall, and a smile slipped across your lips. So far, your houseguest seemed to be cooperative and compliant, but this was just a few hours into your first day with him, and there was the rest of the day to go through. 

Cleaning up the apartment also gave you the chance to do inventory, and find out what you already had -- and what you would need -- to keep Loki happy, busy and content enough so he'd keep out of trouble. You had a small bookcase in the former dining room, but Loki would go through that collection in no time. There was a TV and Blu-ray player in the living room, a TV in the kitchen and a TV in your bedroom. You weren't sure whether Loki would even be interested in watching TV, so you decided to take the wait-and-see approach.

As your light clean-up continued, you were able to make a mental catalog of the resources available to keep Loki entertained. You were aware that what you had to offer wouldn't be enough to satisfy someone as insatiably curious as Loki, and you were hoping that the neighborhood would be cleared out enough for you and Loki to go places. 

Another thought which came to your mind was that Loki would need a wardrobe. Sweatshirts, sweatpants and jeans were okay, but if both of you were going out, he'd need a jacket, coat, sweaters, underwear and shoes. Even though he seemed to accept wearing sweats for now, sooner or later, he'd want to wear something else, and that's when things could become problematic. 

"So much to do, and will I have enough to make it possible...?" you murmur, oblivious to the fact that Loki is leaning against the dining room wall until he speaks. 

"What's troubling you, my dear?" There was a look of concern on his face, and you knew that this matter had to be dealt with while he was relatively calm. 

You put the dust cloth on the desk, and turn toward Loki. "We need to talk about a few things, since you're going to be staying here for a while." 

Both of you sat in the living room, Loki stretched out on the couch, and you were sitting in the chair next to him. "Loki..." you begin, sounding a little hesitant, "I-I know there's many things you'll need... clothes, food and other stuff, but I'm worried that I may not be able to provide them for you... and I want to make sure that you'll be comfortable and happy..." 

You're struggling not to break down and cry while you're talking, but a tear slowly trickles down your cheek. Loki gets up from the sofa, grasps your upper arms and gently pulls you up from the chair. His fingers gently brush against your jaw, and he tilts your head up so your eyes meet his. 

"You are worried about providing for us, but there is no need for you to fear, little one." he said, his voice warm and gentle. "Remember that I am a god, and there are some things I can do to help you." 

"Oh, I don't want to impose upon you..." you begin, until he places a slightly cool finger upon your lips to silence you. 

"Since I have been exiled here, the least I can do is help you take care of both of us." He removed his finger from your lips, and continued, "I do not know how much power I have, but I will use what I have to help you in any way that I can." 

"Thank you, Loki!" You slip your arms around him, hugging him. He returns the hug, holding you tightly. For a few moments, you hold each other close, neither of you knowing what the year held in store, but you'd go through the year together, facing every challenge and adventure which came your way. 

"And I thank you, little one, for opening your home to me, and giving me shelter." he said, reluctantly releasing you from his embrace.

There were so many things you wanted to say, but your mind was spinning, especially after you held him in your arms. Finally, you managed to say, "You'll probably want your own room, and I think I found a room for you. It may be rather small, though." 

"Why don't you show me, and let me decide?" he said. You nod, and both of you walk toward a room that was just to the left of the dining room. It was more like a spacious alcove, and it was furnished with a small work table, a lamp, and several large storage carts which were lined up against the wall, and a large wooden cabinet was built into the wall near the window. 

"What kind of room is this?" Loki asked, while pulling out one of the drawers to see what was inside it. 

"I was using it as a craft room." you said, while Loki examined a strand of small emerald green colored beads. "I like making jewelry, and I've given some of the pieces I made as gifts to my family and friends." 

"Really?" Loki said, while fingering the strand of beads. "If I were to use this room as my bedroom, where would you be able to create your jewelry?" 

"I don't know..." you replied. "There's a smaller room near the living room, but there's not enough room for everything. I know, because I tried moving the table in there, and it didn't fit." 

"Let's look at it and see." While you and Loki went back to the living room, he asked you how many rooms were in the apartment. Besides the living room, dining room, alcove, bathroom, bedroom and kitchen, there was an enclosed back porch which currently housed a small upright freezer and a washer and dryer. 

"Is the back porch heavily fortified?" he asked, taking to the task of finding a room of his own with great delight. 

"It should be," you reply, as you open the double doors, and enter the room, "If it wasn't, the landlord wouldn't be able to turn both back porches into additional space for a washer, dryer and freezer." 

"You have downstairs neighbors?" Loki asked, while he took a careful measure of the room. "Are they decent people?" 

"They're nice people, and you'll get to meet them soon." you replied, watching Loki look around the room, peer into the closet, and check the overhead light, while never letting go of the strand of emerald green beads. 

After a few moments of silence, Loki came to a decision. "This room, as pleasant as it is, is too small. The alcove would be large enough to accommodate my needs." 

"Okay..." You had a feeling that he'd choose the alcove, which meant you'd have to move your jewelry crafting to that postage-stamp sized room, and if was difficult getting the craft table in there, the thought of attempting to fit all of your storage carts and bins wasn't something you wanted to deal with.

"You'll need a bed, a bedside table and a dresser." you told him as both of you went back to the alcove. "The cabinet also doubles as a closet, so you'll have a place to hang up most of your clothes, and you'll be needing more clothes as well." Loki nodded, but said nothing more. 

Once both of you went inside the alcove, you stood there, rubbing your chin and nibbling on your lower lip, deep in thought. "There has to be a spot where I can work comfortably." you muttered, occasionally looking toward the former dining room. The space was relatively empty, except for a bookcase which was against the wall. A desk served as a divider between the living and dining rooms, and there was a tall glass curio cabinet in the corner next to the hallway entrance. 

"The table isn't that large," Loki said, as he looked at the table. "It could fit in the center of the room, and your storage bins and carts could fit underneath the windows. The other storage cases could fit under the table, and since the room has windows, the sunlight will bring out the colors of the stones." 

When you went into the dining room, you attempted to picture how the room would look if you did what Loki suggested. After a moment or so, you said, "This could work. I'd need a good table lamp when I do beading in the evenings." 

"That shouldn't be too difficult to find, should it?" He was standing next to you, and he seemed quite pleased with his suggestion. 

"No, not at all," you replied. "You'll also need a folding screen to put across the front of the room so you can have some privacy."

"You are a very thoughtful lady," Loki was impressed by the way your mind worked. "I've never met someone as resourceful as you." 

You smile and for a fleeting moment, a flush of pink colors your cheeks. Loki noticed it immediately, and smiled back. "I made you blush, darling!" He was quite pleased with himself, and both of you filled the room with laughter. It was then that you realized that letting Loki stay with you might be just what you needed.


	6. Loki's Journey Into 21st Century Mystery Or How He's Learning To Enjoy Livin' La Vida Midgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chicago is slowly digging out from the New Year's Eve blizzard, and as New Year's morning becomes New Year's late afternoon, you decide to gently introduce Loki to life on Midgard by getting him acquainted with all of the electronic appliances, gizmos and gadgets which are part of your daily life. 
> 
> Naturally, Loki has a LOT to learn about life on Midgard in the 21st century... but will you be able to teach him what he needs to know without the two of you driving each other crazy?

Reader's POV...

"Loki..." you said, while you sat at your desk and finished working with your laptop, "I'm going introduce you to my appliances, and show you how they work."

Loki was sitting cross-legged on the couch, his face buried in your paperback copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Volume One. It takes him a few moments to slowly emerge from the Victorian Era world of Holmes and Watson. After he does, he gives you a puzzled look, and said, "You're going to do... what?"

"I'm going to introduce you to my appliances, and show you how they work." You shut down your laptop and give him a pleasant smile. "If you know how they work, maybe you won't yell at them or threaten to send them into another dimension."

It takes a few moments for Loki to put the book down on the coffee table, but after he does, he gives you an annoyed look. "Why must you inflict your technology upon me?" His arms were folded across his chest, and once more, he sounded like a very fussy five year old, rather than an immortal being who had lived for several millennia. "I am a Prince of Asgard, so why must I deal with these bizarre contraptions..."

Before he could finish, you had left your desk, and as you approached him, you said, "You'll have to learn about these things sooner or later, Loki. Besides, if I need to go out, I want to be certain that you'll be able to stay here by yourself safely, and not wreck the place while I'm gone."

Loki looked surprised after you'd spoken. "Where would you need to go that I cannot go with you?" He sounded uncharacteristically nervous, and you promptly picked up on his distress. 

"Well..." you reply, in an effort to be reassuring, "if I have to go to see the doctor, or do something else important, or maybe you might not be in the mood to go anywhere..."

"Don't assume that I intend to remain in the shadows, little one, cowering in terror of every shadow like some frightened puppy." He gave a dismissive wave of his hand as he spoke. "I mean to be a part of this world, since I'm going to be living here for the foreseeable future, and that means I want to be with you wherever you go."

"Okay, then," you reply, as an idea occurs to you, "Since you plan on being a part of Earth... I mean, Midgard, wouldn't it be to your advantage if you learned as much about it as possible? If you know how things work, that knowledge could prove to be very helpful."

Loki was silent as he listened to what you were saying, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. After giving what you'd said careful consideration, he said, "Ah, you sly little minx. You possess a clever and wise mind." He got up from the couch and smiled. "I shall take you up on your offer, and learn about these interesting machines which share your life."

"Good," you said, giving him a smile, "but before we get started, would you please give me that strand of beads you've been holding onto for a while?"

Loki stared at you as though you'd said something absolutely outrageous or downright insulting. He then looked at the strand of tiny emerald green beads, and said, "Why should I give them back to you? I like them, and they are mine."

"The thread which holds the strand together is rather weak. It can break, and those beads will spill all over the place," you replied, in a calm, soothing voice. "Since you've taken a liking to them, I can make a bracelet for you to wear."

"All right, then..." Loki reluctantly handed you the strand of beads, and you immediately went back to your desk. Once you were seated, you opened the top left hand drawer and pulled out a spool of elastic cord, and a pair of scissors. You laid the strand of beads on the desk, cutting the top end of the strand. After you finished, you unspooled a length of elastic cord, and cut it carefully. Loki watched in amazement as you strung the beads on to the cord.

"Did you want to wear the bracelet on your right wrist or your left?" You look up at him as you held both ends of the cord, after checking to be sure it was long enough to be tied securely.

"The right wrist, please." he said, stretching out his arm so you could measure it with the strand. Once you completed the measurement, you quickly knotted the ends of the cord together, so the bracelet would fit snugly, but not too tight. You cut the ends of the cord, and put a tiny drop of glue onto the knot to keep it from unraveling. Pleased with what you'd done, you give the bracelet to Loki, who fingers the beads gently before he slips it onto his wrist.

He lifted up his arm and smiled at the emerald green circle around his wrist. "This is very lovely. Thank you, little one. I shall treasure it always."

"You're welcome." you reply, as your gaze is focused on Loki's left hand, his long, slender fingers brushing against the smooth, highly polished stones that encircled his right wrist. A blatantly erotic thought suddenly came to your mind, and before you could push it aside, Loki smiled, and you wondered if he could read your thoughts.

"Perhaps we should get to the business at hand," he said, watching you clear off your desk, "unless you're curious to learn more about my reputation as the God of Mischief."

"I'd like that, but I think it can wait until a bit later," you said, chuckling softly as both of you left the living room and headed towards the kitchen. "Right now, you're going to see how the 21st century works, and help me fix dinner."

"Wait... I'm going to help you cook tonight's meal?"

"Yes, you are, Loki..."

\---------------

Loki's POV... 

Loki was still in a state of surprised shock when the Midgardian woman informed him that he was going to help her prepare the evening meal. He had never prepared a meal for himself -- or anyone else -- when he lived on Asgard, except for those times when he'd gone hunting with Thor and the Warriors Three. He carefully skinned the animals they'd caught, then he'd season and roast their catch over an open fire. But this wasn't the wilds of Asgard, and he wasn't sure if he could be of any assistance to the Midgardian. But she wanted to help him make the transition to living on Midgard as smooth as possible, so he reluctantly agreed to help her out.

Once they entered the kitchen, the Midgardian immediately got to work; her first stop was the machine she called a 'refrigerator'. She took out a package wrapped in white paper and laid it on the table.

After she did that, the next thing she did was walk to the sink, where she picked up a bottle from the cabinet. Loki watched her open the bottle, and pour a small amount of a thick, yellow fluid into the palm of her hand.

"What is that strange liquid?" he asked, while he watched her turn one of the handles on the sink, and a stream of water came out of the faucet. She put her hands underneath the running water, and rubbed them together, causing the liquid to transform into a mass of suds.

"It's liquid soap. On Midgard, we wash our hands before we start cooking," she said, rinsing the foam from her hands. "I'm sure they do the same thing on Asgard." She turned off the water, and reached for a roll of oddly-printed paper which was held in place by a wooden spindle which was on the cabinet near the sink. She carefully tore off a piece of paper from the roll and wiped her hands with it.

"Yes, they do, but I never had to do any cooking when I lived in the Royal Palace," Loki told her, as he leaned against the counter, "All I had to do was sit at the table and eat." 

"But you did wash your hands before you ate, didn't you?" She had finshed drying her hands, tossed the piece of paper into a tall receptacle, and went back to the table.

"Of course, we did." Loki watched as the Midgardian opened the package and took out two large slabs of meat. "What kind of meat is that?"

"It's sirloin steak, from farm-raised cows," she said, while carefully checking the meat for any signs of freezer burn. Once she was satisfied with the way the steaks looked, her next step was to turn on the stove, and Loki observed her actions with rapt attention.

"Is that an oven? It looks so small." When he was younger, Loki would often sneak into the palace kitchen to watch the cooks prepare meals, and he was amazed by the way they bustled about the huge kitchens, but they never used the kind of strange devices that this Midgardian was using to prepare meals. 

"Yes, it is, but I'll be using the top of the stove to cook our steaks." she said, taking a pan from the dish rack and putting it on the burner. "Do you eat steak in Asgard?"

"Yes, I do eat cow meat on occasion," he said, watching her as she seasoned the two pieces of meat with a shaker containing a blend of savory herbs and spices. "So, how are you preparing it?"

"I'm grilling them in the pan." While she spoke, she took a large fork from the dish rack, then went to the table to retrieve the two pieces of meat. The steak sizzled as it was placed in the heated pan, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of freshly cooked meat. Once the steaks were cooking, she took two large vegetables from a plastic bag which were inside a basket on top of the counter. As she washed the vegetables, Loki watched her, wondering what they were, because they didn't look familiar.

"What are those strange looking vegetables?"

"They're jumbo baking potatoes, and I'm going to cook them in the microwave." She dried the potatoes, put them on a plate, and she took out a stick of butter from the refrigerator. Loki watched her as she cut a piece of butter and rubbed it on both potatoes.

"The potatoes on Asgard are much larger than those, and why are you cooking them in the box with the window?" He couldn't help but be curious about the way Midgardians cooked, and as this particular Midgardian continued cooking, Loki did his best to pay attention to what she was doing, and he occasionally asked questions about what she was doing and how she did it.

"Wow," she said, as she took a fork, stuck it into one of the steaks, and turned it over slowly, "I'll bet Asgard is an agricultural paradise." She did the same thing to the other steak, then she turned the fire underneath the pan to a simmer.

"It is, little one." Loki turned toward the Midgardian woman, and carefully leaned against the counter, his hands resting on the edges of it. "The flowers, trees, fruits and vegetables there are more beautiful than you could possibly imagine." He was silent for a few moments, lost in memories of happier times.

"From what you've just told me, Asgard sounds like a nice place to live." she said, while Loki watched her put the plate with the potatoes inside the box she called a 'microwave', then she closed the door, and pressed several numbers into a pad to the right of the door. After she finished, the inside of the microwave lit up and it hummed softly. Loki carefully peered through the window, and was amazed to see the plate with the potatoes spin slowly.

"What a marvelous machine!" he said, still watching the potatoes. "Does it cook your food until it's completely done?"

"Yes, it does, and it also helps keep the kitchen cool, especially during the summer." While she was speaking, she had opened the refrigerator, and was checking the shelves for something else to go along with the steak and potatoes. After a few moments, she pulled a plastic bag out of the refrigerator, and put it on the table.

Loki looked at the bag on the table, curious about its contents. From what he could see, it was filled with various types of vegetation. The front of the bag read 'Super Veggie Salad Mix', and he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You eat salad?" he asked, "I thought you ate only meat."

"I like a combination of meat and vegetables," she replied. Loki watched as she prepared the table, setting out two plates, some cutlery, two bowls and two glasses. As she poured the salad into the bowls, she explained what she was doing. "Once I put the salad in the bowl, I'll usually pour some salad dressing on it."

"What is this salad dressing which you speak of?" Loki had taken a seat at the table, and noted that the Midgardian had taken two bottles from the refrigerator and put them on the table. He picked up one of the bottles and read aloud, "'Creamy Ranch Salad Dressing'. What does this do for your salad?" 

"It gives the salad a pleasant taste," She had turned off the burner, picked up the frying pan, went to the table, and put the sizzling piece of steak on Loki's plate. After she put the steak on her plate, she put the frying pan in the sink. The sound of a bell signaled that the microwave oven had finished cooking the potatoes. She took the potatoes out of the microwave, and put a potato on his plate.

"So I pour this dressing on the salad, then?" Loki glared at the bottle, wondering how he was to open it.

"Yes. Let me help you with that." She twisted the bottle cap, and poured a light drizzle of ranch dressing over his salad. "That should be enough to give your salad some flavor."

"Thank you." Loki was grateful for her help, and he looked at the meal she had set before him. Everything looked appetizing, and he was about to pick up his fork, when the Midgardian went to the sink to wash her hands. Loki got up from the table, and watched her as she went through with the hand washing ritual. He followed suit after she'd finished, and after he struggled with the roll of paper towels, he sat down at the table. A plastic jug, filled with a pale brownish liquid, was on the table, and he silently wondered what it was.

Before Loki could ask her the question, she said, "This is green tea. It's quite good, especially when it's cold. Would you like some?"

"Yes, please. Thank you." He picked up the glass, and held it out to her. She poured the tea into his glass, then she poured some into her glass. Finally, Loki picked up his knife and fork, cut a piece of steak, and ate it, chewing it slowly and savoring the flavor.

"So... do you like it?" She looked at him, waiting patiently for him to offer some acknowledgement of her hard work.

"The steak is marvelous," His smile gave her a sense of relief, and as he took another bite, she smiled back.

During the meal, Loki and the Midgardian engaged in what she called 'small talk', although he saw nothing small about engaging in conversation during meals. "Sometimes," Loki said, "a good meal can turn enemies into allies. So, the conversation can be just as important as the meal itself."

"Did that happen frequently?" she asked, listening carefully to his every word.

"Yes, it did..." Loki paused to take a sip of tea, then went on, "There was always some diplomatic delegation from one of the Nine Realms who would come to Asgard on business."

She thought about what he said for a few moments. "Then, the kitchens must have been very busy when they arrived, and the servants probably had their hands full!"

"Oh, yes. They were kept busy, because they had to please the Royal Family as well as the visiting delegation."

"And woe betide the servant who accidentally dropped a dish or a tray."

"That rarely happened, though," he said, putting his knife and fork on the now-empty plate. "Everyone knew their jobs and did them well."

"That's amazing," she said, rising from her chair to gather up the dishes, scrape away any scraps of food into the wastebasket, and put the dishes into a pan of hot, soapy water. "Did the cooks have written recipes?"

"Some of the recipes were written, but most of the recipes were handed down from one generation to the next." While he spoke, Loki had gotten up from the table, and stood near the counter, watching the Midgardian as she washed the dishes. After she finished, she took a damp cloth and wiped off the table, gathering up bottles of salad dressing and putting them back in the refrigerator. A quick wipe of the stove top was next, followed by the countertop. She rinsed the dishcloth, wrung it dry, and hung it on the dish rack.

"Now, that wasn't too bad, was it?" she asked as they walked toward the living room. 

"No, it wasn't as bad as I thought," Loki said, as she turned on the lamp, and he took his customary place on the sofa, with a book in hand. "I hope we'll get to cook dinner together again."

"Oh, we most certainly will," she said, as she sat in the chair next to the sofa, "but you still have a lot to learn about living here, you know."

"And what else do you wish to teach me?" Loki gave her a mischievous smile.

"How to use a computer." She got up from the chair, and went back to her desk. After she sat down, she opened the lower left-hand drawer and took out a green fabric case. She put it on top of the desk, unzipped it, removed several strange looking items from it, then took out the last item. Loki put the book down on the sofa, got up and went over to the desk. He watched intently as the woman removed a large case from the bag, and put it on top of the desk.

"What is that?" he asked, as the woman carefully opened the lid of the case.

"It's a notebook computer," she replied, busying herself with attaching various cords to the device. "It's one of the ways we communicate." While she plugged in the power cord into the surge suppressor near her desk, Loki gazed at the computer in amazement.

She pressed a button on the device, and a faint whirring could be heard as the computer started up. As Loki watched, the screen lit up with brilliant colors, which revealed the name of the computer maker, followed by the name of the operating system, followed by the sound of music.

"What are 'Windows'?" he asked, watching her use an oddly-shaped object which he couldn't figure out. "And what is that melody I just heard?"

"Windows is the name of the computer's operating system," she said, as an unusual arrow-shaped image appeared onscreen. "The music lets you know that the computer is functioning properly." 

"What is that little white arrow, and what does it do?"

"It's called a cursor, and it helps you access the various programs that are on the computer," As she spoke, she showed Loki what she was talking about, and he watched in amazement as she moved the cursor onto a strange symbol. A couple of clicks were heard, and a smaller screen appeared. 

"How did you do that?" Loki marveled at this, his eyes wide with wonder. "Is this some sort of Midgardian magic?" 

"Not really..." she said, holding up a small object. "I used a mouse to open the program." 

"What is that device you're holding, little one?" 

"It's called a mouse, because it's almost shaped like one." she said, as Loki looked at it carefully. It had a button on each side, and what appeared to be a wheel in the middle. 

"How does this work, and where are these windows?" 

"Here, let me show you what the windows are, and how to open the programs..." She got up from the chair, gestured for Loki to sit down, and she carefully showed him how to operate the computer, including the keyboard. He was able to open a browser, and he marveled at this. 

"This is incredible! And these are the 'windows'!" he said, as various images appeared on screen. As he was looking at the screen, a chime sounded, a small pop-up image appeared and a female voice said, "Your anti-virus program has been updated." 

"What was that?" His eyes widened in surprise over what he'd seen and heard. 

"That was the anti-virus program letting you know that it's up-to-date." She showed him where the anti-virus program was, and he clicked on the image which represented the program. The program opened, and once he closed the other programs, he clicked the 'run scan' button, and the window showed the scan's progress. He was fascinated by the anti-virus program, and watched the screen as the scan continued. 

A soft chiming, followed by a voice saying, "Scan has been completed", meant that the scan was over, and Loki noticed the message on the screen which read 'No virus found'. 

"What do the words 'no virus found' mean?" he asked, using the mouse to close the program. 

"It means that the computer is free of viruses, so it will work properly." She smiled at Loki, pleased by how quickly he was able to learn and understand the basics of operating the computer. "I have a new computer, so you can use this one." 

"You mean... this is mine to use?" Loki was hesitant, because he feared that it would be taken away from him, as so many other things had been taken away from him during his life. 

"Yes, it's yours to use, and I hope you'll use it." Her smile was warm, and Loki smiled back. "If you have any trouble with it, just let me know, okay?" 

"Thank you so much." Loki's eyes shone with tears of joy. He turned around, and hugged the Midgardian woman tightly. 

"You're welcome," she said, hugging him back. After a few more minutes, he reluctantly released her from his embrace, and she showed him how to shut down the computer. Once the computer had been shut down, she showed him how to unplug the power cord, the mouse and the Ethernet cable, and how to put the power cord, the mouse and the computer inside the carrying case. She opened the left-hand bottom drawer, and he put the computer inside it. He closed the drawer, and smiled. 

"Congratulations, Loki." she said, as he got up from the desk, "I think you'll be able to handle living on Midgard in the 21st century." 

"There's still much that I need to learn," he said, as he sat on the sofa and picked up his book, "and I know that you'll help me, little one. I am grateful for your kindness." 

"It's my pleasure to help you..." she replied, sitting at the desk once more, opening the lower right-hand drawer, pulling out her computer, getting it set up, and before long, she was busy paying bills, checking e-mails, and doing those pleasantly mundane chores which kept things running.


	7. A New Year's Night's Dream Or Nightmare, Depending On One's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first day of living with Loki, the God of Mischief is drawing to a close, dear Reader, and from all indications, you and Loki are at the beginning of a beautiful friendship... which is going to be noticed by a couple of VERY interested parties.

Reader's POV...

The remainder of the afternoon and early evening passed quickly as you taught Loki how your other electronic devices worked, including your TV and Blu-ray player. After this whirlwind of activity, both of you spent the evening watching a couple of movies, including a highly fictionalized version of the Man of Iron's story, which elicited some interesting comments from your companion. Now, Loki was sitting on the couch, the bed linens next to him, not quite ready to go to bed yet.

"This has been quite a day, little one. I'm still amazed by these devices, especially the computer." he said, while helping you transform the couch into his bed. "I look forward to working with it again."

"You seemed to be quite comfortable with using it once you got started," you said, heading toward the desk in order to put your computer away in the right-hand desk drawer.

"I cannot take all of the credit for it," he said, pulling the covers back and fluffing up the pillow, "You helped me to get started, and I appreciate your help." He sat down on the sofa, and looked at you, but you weren't certain what was hidden behind those brilliant green eyes.

"It's the least I can do for you," You took your seat next to the couch as Loki slowly swung his legs onto the couch, and pulled the covers over him. "Although I wasn't expecting to have the God of Mischief living under my roof on New Year's Day."

"True, but are you unhappy because of my presence here?"

You thought about his question for a moment, then replied, "No, I'm not unhappy at all. I honestly think your presence will be a welcome change. It's going to be nice to have someone to talk to. Make things a lot less lonely and quiet around here."

Loki nodded, but said nothing right away. He understood what it meant to be locked in a room where contact with others and communication was severely limited, and the only constant companion available were your own thoughts. "I know what it's like, little one," he said, his voice taking on a softer tone, "to be lonely. I have been alone for too long, so perhaps my presence here will be to our mutual advantage."

You nod your head slowly, saying, "Loneliness can be very frightening, but when you have friends, things can change for the better."

"I have no friends." The utter hopelessness in his voice and the pain in his eyes made you wonder how long he'd been alone, and what the circumstances were. 

"Well, that's going to change, Lo," you said, as you got up from the chair. "I'm going to introduce you to my friends and family, and maybe you won't feel so lonely."

Loki sat up, giving you a surprised look. "You are going to introduce me to the people in the little pictures?"

"I beg your pardon?" You weren't sure what Loki meant, so you pursued the matter further. "What are you talking about?"

"There are these curious looking pictures that are sitting in the cabinet near the hallway, and hanging on the walls. I was wondering who the people in the pictures were."

"Oh." You tilted your head to the side and grinned. "You'll get to meet most of them soon, including my downstairs neighbors, the 'Fabulous Straczynski Sisters'."

Loki seemed completely befuddled by what you'd said, as his fingers brushed against his bracelet. "The... who?"

"Like I said, Loki, you'll get to meet everyone soon, and I think you'll enjoy meeting them, but now... I'm going to get to bed. Goodnight..."

"Goodnight, little one." Loki watches you walk down the hall toward your bedroom, and after a few moments, he reaches behind him to turn off the lamp on the table. He laid his head on the pillow, closed his eyes and went to sleep.

You had taken off your clothes, put on your pajamas, and climbed into bed, feeling a little tired, but happy that your first day of living with Loki had gone well. You turned off the lamp on your bedside table, pulled the covers over you and drifted off to sleep.

All was quiet in your apartment, and as you slept, your mind was spinning visions of what the year would bring, and one thing was certain... the year ahead would be an interesting one, now that Loki would be sharing it with you.

\---------------------

Odin's POV...

"So far, the Chosen One has shown remarkable patience in dealing with Loki." Odin said, as he stood next to Heimdall just above the Bifröst, watching all that had transpired inside the apartment. 

"Yes, she has, Sire," Heimdall replied, "but this was just their first day together. Things will change between them as time goes on."

"I fully expect them to. After all, redemption is a long process, and change is part of that." Odin replied, as he turned toward the entrance of the dome. "Loki needs to, as the Midgardians so aptly put it, 'grow up', and in order for him to do that, he needs help."

"And you believe that the Chosen One will help him to do that, sir?"

"I know she will. I have watched over her since she was a child, and she has great strength." Odin walked down the short flight of steps as he spoke, and stood in the center of the room. "Now, as the Midgardian year unfolds, the course of Loki's redemption will take many turns, and the Norns will do their best to have a hand in it. They enjoy doing such things."

Heimdall turned toward Odin, and said, "I hope they will restrain themselves from interfering with the course of the Prince's redemption. Otherwise, he will not learn the lessons he must know in order to be redeemed."

Odin nodded slightly, and said, "I have already spoken with the Norns on this matter. The ladies have been told to restrain themselves, and they gave me their word that they will not interfere with Loki's redemption... excessively."

A faint, but knowing, smile crossed Heimdall's lips for a brief moment, which Odin responded to with a smile of his own. "Are you leaving, Sire?" he asked, the hilt of his gleaming golden sword shimmering in the soft, warm light given off by the torches.

"Yes, I am." Odin told him. "It has been an interesting day, but I am feeling rather sleepy, so I am going to the Palace and enjoy a a pleasant night's rest. Goodnight, Heimdall."

"Goodnight, My King. Rest well." Heimdall bowed his head as Odin left the chamber. After watching Odin depart, he turned back to the Bifröst once more, this time, he focused his considerable attention on a large ship which was docked in a harbor. Some interesting things were going on there, and he wondered if the flurry of activity he was witnessing was connected to Loki in some way...

\---------------- 

SHIELD Headquarters -- Nick Fury's POV... 

Nick Fury, director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, was sitting at his desk, frowning at a piece of paper he'd been handed by one of his agents, a young, blonde-haired woman named Charlotte "Charlie" Mayweather, who was probably wishing she could be anywhere else except in his office. She stood in front of his desk, hands behind her back, hoping that the Director would say something, anything, which would break the awkward silence, which was becoming more uncomfortable with each passing second.

Finally, Director Fury looked up at her, giving her a cool one-eyed glare. "You mean to tell me that this is all the information we have about the atmospheric anomaly which occurred over the Great Lakes region last night, Agent Mayweather?"

"Yes, sir," she replied, giving him her full attention. "The satellite data is still coming in, and a complete report won't be available until tomorrow morning."

"So we won't know anything else about it until tomorrow," Fury grumbled, a scowl imprinting itself on his dark face for several minutes, "including pinpointing the origin of the anomaly and if anything happened."

"There's some preliminary data concerning the possible point of origin, but nothing specific yet, sir." she replied, doing her best to remain calm.

"Well, when will the preliminary data be ready?" Fury's mood wasn't getting any better as the minutes passed, and his impatience was starting to make itself known with every word he spoke.

"Not until tomorrow, sir, but initial satellite telemetry detected that the anomaly may have come from outer space," she replied, "The efforts to pinpoint the exact location of where in outer space the anomaly came from have proven unsuccessful so far."

"All right, Agent Mayweather," Fury grumbled, as the paper lay on his desk, "if you can't tell me where the anomaly came from, can you at least tell me where it was spotted?"

"The anomaly appeared over Chicago, during the winter storm," she told him, "but there have been no reports of any damage caused by it."

Before Director Fury could tell her anything else, a sharp beeping sound was heard, and he touched a smaller button on the earpiece. "Yes? What is it?" He listened carefully to the voice at the other end, saying, "I'm on my way." He turned toward Agent Mayweather, and said, "We've got some satellite and radar intel on the anomaly. Let's go." Director Fury and Agent Mayweather left his office and went to the computer center located on the bridge of the Helicarrier, where several SHIELD agents were sitting in front of various consoles and large flat-panel monitors, analyzing data from different sources and writing reports.

One of the agents, a studious young man named Robert Patterson, got up from his chair when he saw Director Fury and Agent Mayweather approach his desk. "Director Fury," he said, his fingers making several quick movements across the screen, "one of the GOES weather satellites recorded this image at the height of the storm, and I thought it might be of interest." He touched the screen, and pulled up a image of a swirling mass of clouds. As all of them watched the storm's vortex spin, a streak of brilliant, multi-colored light struck a portion of the mass of swirling storm clouds.

"Can you magnify that image and enhance it?" Fury asked, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at what he'd just seen. "Perhaps we may be able to find out where that light came from."

"Yes, sir." Agent Patterson was able to enlarge the image, and as the footage was replayed, Fury watched it carefully, as did Agent Mayweather. When the streak of multi-colored light appeared on screen, she gasped in surprise.

Fury turned to the agent and said, "What did you see, Agent Mayweather?"

"I-I thought I saw the image of a man, sir." she replied, unsure of what she'd seen. Agent Patterson quickly rewound the satellite image loop, going through it slowly, frame by frame until Agent Mayweather said, "That's it. That's where I saw him."

Director Fury looked at the magnified image of shimmering, rainbow streaked light, and the fuzzy, dark outline of a man against it, then said, "Damn... looks like the winter storm that hit Chicago left something more than snow behind. I'm immediately putting all agents on high alert, especially our agents in Chicago. We have another cosmic visitor, Agents. I want to know who he is, where he is and I want to know every move he makes ASAP."

Fury left the computer center, heading down the long corridor toward his office, and dreading the thought of having to wake the members of the Council to inform them that Earth was getting another visitor from the vast reaches of outer space a year after the Chitauri invasion, and he wasn't looking forward to answering the barrage of questions he'd be asked. As soon as he arrived at his office, he touched a few buttons on a small keypad on his desk. Several screens appeared, and as the shadowy images slowly appeared on each screen, Fury sighed. "Members of the Council, I have some news which you may not like to hear..." 

Meanwhile, Agents Mayweather and Patterson immediately got to work analyzing satellite data and radar images for any other sign of the mysterious stranger and that strange, shimmering rainbow.

It was going to be a long, sleepless night for everyone at SHIELD...

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this... and remember that ConCrit, as well as kudos, are deeply appreciated.


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